Just a note to anyone lurking about and thinking about starting a stripper.
After watching and agonizing over designs for a while, I decided to take the plunge and build a GB. About that time I was looking at pics of Joe Greenley's work and liked one of the strip designs he uses. I didn't want to be a total copycat, so I went one better -yeah, right! - and wrapped the design around the whole boat, rather than just prettying up the deck.
Now this would have been a great idea for Joe, or some of the other artists we've seen here, but for a neophyte? Not my best decision ever! That was a year and a bit ago and I'm still working on stripping the hull. Admittedly, it sat for several months because other things got in the way, but I'm back at it again, and making progress. My lurking on the board has helped tremendously in solving the many problems I created. Yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I should have the hull stripped in a few more weeks. The design will work beautifully, but it has been an agonizing, often discouraging process.
Am I sorry I ever started this? Not for a minute...well, don't ask me that when I'm trying to get the darn strips to stop pulling away from the forms at the stern, or asking myself why decided to fit the trim to the strips rather than the other way around as Nick suggests in his book! LOL

So, what's my point? Why am I whining away to you guys? I just want to suggest to any newbie builders that they might want to just build to the plans and leave the fanastic strip design work for their second boat. I'm sure your first one will be much easier. Your second one will be gorgeous!!

Thanks for reading my rant. I feel MUCH better now...back to the steamer!